Explore choosing a perfume, ways to sample it, and the relationship between skin and scent.

The Same Perfume, Different on Each Person? A Study of Fragrance Release from Skin

Why can the same perfume seem different from one person to another? A study of fragrance compounds released from 10 people’s forearms offers a way to consider skin characteristics, fragrance release, and the value of trying a perfume on your own skin.

2026.10.22

Is Fragrance Remaining the Same as Fragrance Still Being Perceived?

Can measuring the amount of fragrance left on paper tell us how long a perfume lasts? A 2026 study of two musks highlights the difference between what can be extracted for analysis and what remains, and the limits of translating those measurements into perceived longevity.

2026.10.22

Does a Self-Selected Perfume Suit Your Body Odor?

Does perfume uniformly mask body odor? Three experiments from 2012 explore the combination of fragrance and body odor, and what choosing a perfume for yourself might mean.

2026.10.20

Why do we experience the same scent differently? Explore research on the nose, brain, memory and emotions.

Why Do Some People Dislike the Smell of Fish While Others Do Not Mind It?

People smelling the same fish odor can differ in perceived intensity, unpleasantness, and the names that come to mind. A study of 11,326 people in Iceland linked part of that variation to genetic differences in olfactory receptors.

2026.10.23

Can Similar Vanilla-Like Aromas Elicit Different Brain Responses?

Different responses in some brain regions were reported even for three vanilla-like odorants rated similarly for intensity, pleasantness, and familiarity. A 44-person fMRI study helps distinguish aroma ratings and brain activity from interpretations concerning memory.

2026.10.22

Does Sleeping with a Favorite Scent Make Dreams Feel Better?

Choosing a scent that evokes pleasant memories and sleeping in a room scented with it: in a sleep experiment involving 20 people, no improvement in dream emotions or mood immediately after awakening was confirmed. The study explores the difficulty of influencing dreams even when personal scent preferences are considered.

2026.10.22

Can names or appearances change a scent? Explore words, colors and our interactions with others.

When You Hear “Natural Scent,” What Smells and Colors Come to Mind?

Fresh and light, but not expected to be almost odorless. A survey in France and the United States helps us explore the smells and colors people associate with naturalness.

2026.10.23

Does Knowing a Scent Is “Natural” Make You Like It More?

If you heard that a scent you liked was “made from natural ingredients,” would you like it even more? Conversely, would your impression of it become less favorable if you heard that it was “made using biocatalysis or biotechnology”?

2026.10.23

If You Misname a Smell, Do You Still Know Something About It?

If someone calls the smell of an apple “fruit,” is that wrong? A study of responses from 2,479 adults in Sweden showed that knowledge about an odor can remain in the words people use even when they cannot name it correctly.

2026.10.22

When and why do flowers smell? Explore plant mechanisms and their relationships with insects.

Does a Flower Smell Different Inside and Out?

Fruit-like compounds outside a tubular flower, and different floral compounds inside: even within the same flower, scent varied with location, day and night, and reproductive stage. Examining color and secretions at the entrance as well reveals multiple cues that could attract flies and guide them into the flower.

2026.10.23

Which Flies Carry Pollen from Foul-Smelling Flowers?

A small flower growing among rocks in South Africa was supported by flies that had scarcely been known as pollinators. A dung-like odor and just a little nectar: investigating how pollen is carried reveals a complex relationship in which even an unpleasant-smelling flower attracts its partners and encourages them to stay.

2026.10.23

How Is Floral Scent Diversity Related to Insects and Bacteria?

A study of Alpine flowers compared the chemical diversity of their scents with the variety of insects and bacteria associated with them. It introduces a hypothesis linking the welcoming of visitors with selective microbial establishment.

2026.10.23

From the composition of natural materials to extraction, synthesis and fragrance production using microorganisms.

Jasmine Flowers and Absolutes: What a Comparison of Four Species Reveals

Fresh jasmine flowers and the perfumery material known as an absolute: a comparison of four species grown in Egypt explores differences associated with species, harvest month, and extraction method.

2026.10.22

Does Vanilla Smell Different Depending on Where and How It Is Cured?

Even within a recognizably vanilla aroma, there are different expressions of fruit, rum, and wood. A study in which 62 people smelled pods from four regions of Mexico explores the relationships between traditional processing, aroma preferences, and the condition of the pods.

2026.10.22

Can Yeast Adjust the Constituent Ratios of Sandalwood’s Aroma?

Can yield and constituent ratios be balanced when producing sandalwood-related compounds in yeast? A 2022 study combines enzyme modification with metabolic engineering.

2026.10.20

Coffee, laundry, rooms and shops: start with questions about familiar smells.

Does Coffee Bean Storage Temperature Change the Aroma in the Cup?

A study stored opened coffee beans at 5°C and 20°C for one month, then compared their compounds and the sensory qualities of the brews. The effects of cool storage did not appear in the same way in cold brew and espresso.

2026.10.24

Can the Smell of Food Increase How Much We Actually Eat?

A study in which 32 people experienced four food odors and an odorless condition. We explore the increased food intake with chocolate odor and the differing results for appetite and saliva.

2026.10.23

Should Room Fragrance Run Continuously? A Study of Intervals and Comfort

Does keeping a room fragrance running make it more pleasant? A study comparing sweet orange essential-oil diffusion intervals separates scent perception and preference from performance on attention tasks.

2026.10.22

Explore how scent relates to the body and environment, including allergies and air.

What Happens to Indoor Air When You Use Perfume or Sprays?

How do compounds released by perfumes and sprays change in air containing ozone? A 2024 experiment involving five products sheds light on secondary products and particle formation, and on what remains unknown about health effects.

2026.10.22

Does Perfume Change the Air Around Your Skin?

Do perfumes and lotions also change reactions in the air around the skin? Measurements in an occupied chamber and models trace the roles of ethanol, skin oils, and time since application.

2026.10.21

Can Flameless Fragrance Products Still Create Airborne Particles?

Simply warming scented wax can generate tiny particles through reactions in the air. Measurements in a test house help explain particle numbers, ventilation and estimates of respiratory exposure.

2026.10.21

Can AI predict smells? Explore sensors, visual media and technologies for delivering scent.

Why Does an Odor-Tracking Drone Pause Along the Way?

Is detecting an odor enough to fly to its source? A study of a drone carrying a real silkworm moth antenna shows how an air-intake enclosure and pauses during rotation help it follow an odor.

2026.10.22

Do People Notice Scent at a Virtual-Reality Dining Table?

What happens when the smell of french fries is added to a food-filled VR environment? Around 18% of respondents reported noticing it. A virtual-buffet study explores why simply adding scent does not guarantee that it will register.

2026.10.20

Can Encapsulated Fragrant Oil Protect Old Manuscripts?

A conservation material combines tiny clove-oil capsules with cellulose. A study on simulated palm-leaf manuscripts explores how to retain the oil while reinforcing the leaves.

2026.10.20